Legislative Services

The Texas Association of Counties has highlighted recent attorney general opinions and requests for opinions of interest to counties. Summaries below are republished directly from opinion letters issued by the Office of the Attorney General without substantive editing.

Attorney General Opinions

KP-0522: The opinion request asks 20 separate questions relating to the authority of the commissioners court over the employees of local elected officials (RQ-0610-KP). The opinion states, though it may be legally advisable, we find no statute that requires all county elected officials to publicly advertise for job openings in their offices. Whether any particular employment practice adopted by a commissioners court as to an elected official’s employee is permissible depends on (1) whether the action taken is within the authority of the commissioners court and, if so, (2) whether the action usurps or unreasonably interferes with the performance of the elected official’s constitutional or statutory duties. A commissioners court must restrict the amount of time that an employee may contribute to and withdraw from a county sick leave pool as provided in chapter 157, subchapter E of the Local Government Code.

Requests for an Attorney General Opinion

No pertinent requests available.